Friction-clutch.



W. 0. LIFE.

FRICTION CLUTCH. APPLICATION mum DBO. 7, 1005. 1,004,047. Patented p-26,1911.

Si' ii m/ I TTORNEYS STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILIiARD 0. LIFE, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK FRICTION-CLUTCH.

I Specification of Iietters Patent. Patented Sept. 1911- Applicationfiled December 7, 1995. serial'no. 290,673.

To all whom it-may concern:

Be. it known that I, WILLARD C. LIPE, of Syracuse, in the county ofOnondaga and State of New York, have invented a certain new and usefulFriction-Clutch, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object the production of a friction-clutchwhich is plarticucient and durable in use; and to this end, it consistsin the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanyingdrawing, in which like characters designate corresponding parts in allthe views.

Figure lis a sectionalview, partly broken away and in elevation, of oneembodiment of my clutch and contiguous parts. Figs. 2 and 3, are,respectively, edge and face views, partly broken away, of one of theclutchmembers. Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged sectional views, partly inelevation, ofa portion of my clutch, the relatively-movable memberthereof being illustrated in Fig. 4 as disenga ed from the other memberof the clutch, an in Fig. 5, as engaged with said,

other member. Flg. 6 is a fragmentary view of detached parts of theclutch-member seen inFi .2and3.,

Th1s clutch comprises driving and driven members 1, 2, the drivingmember 1 being preferably carried by the flywheel 3 of a motor, notshown, and the driven member 2 bein mounted on a revoluble member 4including the universal joint 5 forming the subject-matter of 'mypending application, Sr. No. 289,020. The operativeengagement anddisengagement of the clutch-members 1, 2 may be effected in anydesirable manner, as by a spring 6 for moving the member 2 axially inone direction into 0 erative engagement with the member 1, an means, asa foot-lever 7, connected to the member 4 by a yoke. and trunnions, orother suitable means, for moving the member. 2 axially in the reversedirection against the action of the spring 6.

Although the illustrated and described 1y .eflimember 1, is formed withan internal fric- 9 being not restricted thereto, since an othersuitable means ma be used for suc urpose.

One of the c itch-members, as t e driving tional engaging surface 8increasing in diameter toward one side, and the other clutchmember isprovided with a peripheral surface 9 which increases in diameter in thesame direction as sald surface 8, and 1s op- ;posed to the surface 8 andsubstantially concentric therewith, the conical surfaces 8 and immovabletoward and from the The surface 9 is encircled by aband 10 increasing indiameter toward one side and having one side secured by suitablefastening means, as rivets 11, to the surface 9. Said band 10 isprovided with slots 12 extending inwardly from its opposite side andforming a plurality of spring-arms 13 which are arranged crosswise ofthe surface 9 and flare outwardly toward their free ends forming anexpansible and compressible means between the surfaces 8 and 9. The band10, although preferably. composed of a single piece, may obviouslyconsist of a plurality of sections or segments arranged one in advanceof the other around the surface 9, and it will be apparent that ifdesired only a part of the surface 9 may be rovided'with said band orsections. 'The and 10 is usually provided with frictional enga 'ng meansgenerally consisting of a plura it of segments 14 of. leather, or othersuita le substance, arran ed one in advance of the other in a rin -saped series upon the outer face of the and eachsegment extendingcrosswise of such band, and the opposin ed es of contiguous segmentsbeing pre erab y slightly separated from each other. Corresponding endsof the frictional engaging means or segments 14 are secured b rivets 15to the free ends of the arms 13 o the band 10, and

' cured to the otheqside of the band by the rivets 11. Each segment 14is" preferably of suflicient length to cover*a number .of thespring arms13, and the segments. 14, the spring arms 13 and the rivets 15 and 11for securing the segments to the band 10 are so arranged that oppositeportions of each segment are secured at their endsto the opposing orunderlying spring arms, and consequently the parts of said oppositeportions intermediate of the ends thereof are disconnected from thecontiguous parts of said opposing spring arms, and the part of eachsegment intermediate of said 0 posing portions thereof is disconnectedmore spring arms interposed between said opposing spring arms, thusenabling parts 0 the arms 13 and the segments 14 to yield or moverelatively to each other in the operation of the clutch. When theclutch-member 2 is in its inoperative position, the spring-arms 13 forcetheoverlying free portions of the frictional engaging means or segments14 toward the coacting surface 8 of the clutch-member 1, andconsequently, the engaging surfaces of said clutch-members are normallyof different form. As the member 2 is forcedaxially the arms 13 yieldradially, thus ermitting compression of the band 10 and tl ie ring offrictional engaging means 14 until the engaging surface of the member 2conforms to, and closely fits, the coacting surface of the member 1. Itwill be understood that the frictional engaging means or segments 14when worn'may be replaced.

As will'be obvious tothoseskilled in the art, my clutch operates with a,minimum shock and strain upon the parts when the operative engagement ofthe clutch-members takes place.

What I claim as new, is

1. A friction-clutch comprising driving and driven members includingopposing surfaces, frictional engaging means between said surfaces andsubstantially concentric therewith, a portion of such means being fixedrelatively to oneof the oppos-' ing surfaces, spring means interposedbetween the frictional engagin means and said one, of the opposing suraces and extending in a general direction axially of said members, the'sprin means normally .holding a portion of the rictional engagingmeansaway from the surface to which the same is fixed, said frictionalengaging means being separable from the spring means, and means formoving one member axially relatively to the other, substantially as andfor the purpose specified.

2. A friction-clutch comprising driving and driven members includingopposing surfaces, frictional engaging segments interposed between saidsurfaces and arranged rom one 01 one in advance of the other in aring-shaped series substantially concentric with said sur-' faces,spring means interposed'between the segments and one of'the opposingsurfaces,

faces, a portion of each segment being fixed relatively to one oftheopposing surfaces, spring means interposed between the segments andsaid one'of the opposing surfaces for normally holding portions of thesegments away from said surface, and means for moving one member axiallyrelatively to the other, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. A friction-clutch comprising driving.

and driven members including opposing surfaces, frictional engagingsegments lnterposed between said surfaces and arranged one in advance ofthe other in a ringshaped series substantially concentric with saidsurfaces, contiguous edges of the segments being spaced apart, springmeans interposed between the segments and one of the opposingsurfaces,and means for moving one member axially relatively to the other,substantially as and for the purpose described. K

5. Afriction-clutch comprising driving and driven members includingopposing sure faces, frictional engaging segments lnterposed betweensaid surfaces and arranged one in advance of the other in a ringshapedseries substantially concentric with said surfaces, contiguous edges ofthe segments being spaced apart, and one end of each segment beingfixed-to one ofthe opposing surfaces and the opposite end of saidsegment being movable relatively to such surface, spring meansinterposed between the segments and said one of the opposing surfacesfor normally holding the movable ends of the segments away from saidsurface, member axially relatively tothe other, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth. 6. A friction-clutch comprising driving anddriven members including opposing surfaces, a spring fixed relatively toone of and means for moving one the opposing surfaces and having aportionthereof extending from said surface toward the opposing surface,frictional. engaging means between the spring and said opposing surface,a portion of the engaging means being fixed relatively to the spring andfixed relatively to the surface upon which the spring is mounted andanother portion thereof being capable of movement relaand drivenmembers, one being shiftable relatively to the other, said membersaxial}? .mclu ingopposmg concentnc conical surfaces immovable relativelytoward their axis, ex ansible and compressible means arranged etween theopposing surfaces, said means comprising a plurality of spring armsfixed at correspondmg ends to one of the conical surfaces and normallyflaring outwardly therefrom, and frictional en aging means carried bythe spring arms an comprising a plurality of segments, each se mentcovermg a number of said arms, su

stantially as and for the purpose described.

8. A friction-clutch comprising driving and driven members includingopposing surfaces, a part fixed relatively to one of the integral springarms, frictiona opposing surfaces and having a plurality of meansinterposed between said part and the other of the opfosing surfaces, thefree ends of a number 0 the spring arms being fixed to the frictionalengaging means, and the free ends ofothers of said arms being capable ofmoveinent relatively to the frictional engaging means, and means formovin one member axially relatively to the ot er, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth 9. A friction-clutch comprising driving anddriven members including opposing surfaces, a part fixed relatively toone of the opposing surfaces and having a plurality of integral springarms at one side, and frictional engaging segments inter osed betweensaid spring arms and the ot er of the opposing surfaces, said segmentsbeing of greater width than the spring arms whereby a plurality of thespring arms engage a smgle segment,'substantially as and for the purposes GCifiBd.

10. A riction-clutch com rising driving and driven members, one eingshiftable axially relatively to the other, said membersincludingfopposing concentric conical surfaces immovable relatively,toward their axis,

expansible and compressible means arranged between the opposingsurfaces, said means comprisinga plurality of sprin arms fixed atcorresponding ends to one o the conical surfaces and normally flaringoutwardly therefrom, .and frictional en aging means carried by thespring arms an comprising a plurality of se ents, each se ment covermganumber 0 said arms and sing secured at its ends to oneofthe spring armsand having a part thereof intermediate of said ends disconnected fromthe opposing part of said spring arm, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

and driven members, one

engaging 11. A friction-clutch comprising driving and driven members,one eing shiftable axiall relatively to the other, said members incluing op osin concentric conical surfaces immova le re ativel toward theiraxis expansible and compressi 1e means arranged between the opposingsurfaces, said means comprising a plurality of sprin arms fixed atcorrespondmg ends to one o the conical surfaces and normally flaringoutwardly therefrom, and frictional engaging means carried by the springarms and comprising a plurality of segments, each se ment covering anumber 0 posite portionsthereof secured to the opposing spring arms, andhaving a part thereofbetween said opposite ortions disconnected from aspring arm etween said opposing spring arms, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

12. A friction-clutch com rising driving ein shiftable axiall relativelyto the other, sald members inclu ing opposing concentric conicalsurfaces immovable relatively toward their said arms an having opaxis,"an expansible and compressible band arranged between the opposingsurfaces, the band being fixed at one side to one of. said surfaces andnormally flarin outwardly therefrom and being forme with slots extendingfrom its opposite side toward its fixed side and forming a plurality of.spring arms, and frictional engagingv means carried by the band andcomprising a plurality of segments, each segment cover: ing a number ofsprin arms and having 0 posite portions thereo secured at their ends tothe opposing spring arms, the parts of said opposite portionsintermediate of the ends thereof being disconnected from the contiguousparts of said opposing spring arms, and a part of said segment intermediate of said opposite portions thereof bein disconnected from a springarm interpose between said opposing spring arms, substantially as andfor the purpose specified.

13. A friction-clutch comprising driving and driven members includingopposing surfaces, a part fixed relatively to one of the opposingsurfaces and having a plurality of integral spring arms at one side,frictional engagin segments interposed between said part an the other ofthe .opposing surfaces fi i imem'r.

tivelyjo thesegments, and xiieans for inov-- of Onond 1i,'inthe State ofNeWjYork,"this in' one member axially relatively to the; 29th day 0November, 1905. otfi er, substantially as and for the purpose described.A D E- ii In testimony whereof, I have hereunto Witnesses:

signed my-name in the presence of two at-. S DAvIs,

testing wltnesees, at Syracuse, in the county R. Anomsofi.

